


How to save a life

by YvonneSilver



Category: Supernatural
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-03
Updated: 2014-06-03
Packaged: 2018-02-03 06:45:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1735028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YvonneSilver/pseuds/YvonneSilver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel has made his way down to hell to rescue the righteous man, but rescuing him proves more of a challenge than he expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to save a life

It always takes Castiel a while to adjust to human form after being in energy-state for a while, and materializing in the multiverse of hell does not make it any easier. The pit is not meant to be viewed with human eyes. The waveform collapses around him and takes the shape of one of the many forms that hell can take. It’s a cold, empty place that seems to have no ceiling, expanding upwards into infinity, and the ugly grey-green walls around him seem to keep changing their shape.  
Still, at least this vessel seems to make things easier. It suits him better than any of the previous vessels he’s occupied. He’s never really had a preference, but this dark-haired male seems to hold him well. You wouldn’t say it when looking at him though. He still looks confined. You can tell there’s something greater within him, as though he might suddenly grow an inch, or sprout huge wings from his shoulders, or perform some other miraculous feat no human could accomplish.  
Castiel looks around him in the disturbing landscape. “Uriel,” he commands in his deep voice, and that is all that is necessary to get the angel to do as he’s told. Uriel reluctantly materializes beside him in the body of a young black man. He’s uncomfortable and twitchy, and clearly unhappy at being there. Castiel knows how much Uriel dislikes taking on human form, but Castiel’s decided it’s best to approach their quarry in a recognizable form. There’s much you can say about Uriel, but at least he’s obedient.  
The hum of battle still presses on his ears. Here, everything looks empty, but his squadron is still holding off the demons. They should not idle. He nods at Uriel to follow him. As he steps forward, a door appears in the murky gel of the wall. It opens immediately at his presence.  
The room inside is cloaked in shadows, but as the angels enter the room grows lighter. In the center of the room a dark figure stands over an unfortunate soul. The bright soul is covered in lighter scar tissue and soft light is leaking from its fresh wounds. The figure yanks a scalpel from one of its wounds as it turns to face the angels. The soul lets out a terrible scream and crumples to the floor.  
“This is him?” Uriel cries out incredulously. “This is the special human we’re meant to save?”  
“We do not question our orders.” Castiel answers impassively, but he makes no move to act on them.  
It’s hard to quantify time in hell, but it seems like they stare at each other for a long time; the angels standing stone-faced on one side of the room, the demon glowering at them on the other, the soul whimpering softly on the floor between them.  
Once more it’s Uriel who breaks the silence. “Well what are we waiting for? Lets grab him and go.” He shoves past Castiel into the room.  
“Uriel.” Again, a single word is enough to stop the angel in his tracks. “Take the soul and go. Return to the outer perimeter and keep the other demons from entering. I’ll deal with the righteous man.”  
Uriel rounds on his commander. “But Castiel!”  
“Leave.” He says forcefully. Uriel bows his head, but he shoots Castiel an angry look before laying his hand on the bleeding soul in front of him and disappearing.

Castiel returns his attention to the demon in front of him. They’ve taken too long to breach the gates of hell. What was once a bright human soul is covered in layer upon layer of scar tissue that’s slowly faded from bright white to darker and darker grey until it’s almost as black as a demons. Almost.  
The almost-demon has mirrored Castiel, taken on the human form it had before - a stocky, sandy-haired male. His face is contorted into an almost animal snarl, the grey-black eyes shining ominously. In his balled fists he still holds the tools of his trade, soul-essence shimmering along the blades. Yet, Castiel realizes, he hasn’t attacked him yet. He’s raised his weapons, yes, but defensively, not offensively. The angel squints, looking past the hatred and the rage that the demon projects, and suddenly he sees the human underneath the mask. The fear and the pain, the reasons this man did what he did, became what he used to despise. Suddenly he sees why he can still be saved.  
Relieved by this insight, Castiel steps forward. The demon hisses dangerously, slashing quickly at the angel before crouching down in a defensive position once more. Though caught off guard, Castiel manages to dodge the blade. As far as he knows, only an angel blade can kill an angel, but he’s not taking any chances with hell’s weaponry. He raises his hands to signify his peaceful intentions, backing away as the demon slowly circles him.  
“Dean Winchester.” He intones. “Have no fear. I am an angel of the Lord, sent here to raise you from perdition.”  
Dean, however, shows no sign of understanding. He's still deliberately circling the angel, looking for a way under his guard. Castiel sighs. There is only one way out of this now.  
He's fast, much faster than humanly possible, yet still the tortured soul sees him coming. He side-steps under Castiel’s hand and aims his scalpel towards the angel’s left knee. Surprised by these keen reflexes, Castiel dodges backwards. He cocks his head sideways, studying the human once more. Apparently, there’s more to him than just another tortured soul. No matter, he tells himself, the orders remain the same, and all he needs is to retrieve the soul.  
He doesn’t get much time to contemplate this though, as Dean lunges forward for another attack. Castiel sidesteps the frankly somewhat clumsy swing, and reaches out once more to lay his hand on him, but Dean dodges underneath his outstretched arm with a smooth roll, jumping back on his feet and slashing at the angel from behind. Castiel turns, pushing aside Deans arm with his elbow, then blocking the next attack that comes unexpectedly from the weapon Dean’s holding in his left hand.  
They’re standing almost toe to toe now. Presumably Dean was hoping to get under the angel’s guard. Their arms are raised, crossed at the underarms as Castiel pushes Dean’s weapons away from him. And something happens. As Castiel stares into those charcoal eyes they suddenly seem to focus, the manic grin fades into a look of confused shock and the color drains from his flushed cheeks. The scar tissue lightens and for a moment a pair of bright green eyes shines through the demon lens.  
Castiel only hesitates for a moment. He drops his right hand onto the righteous man’s shoulder and starts the exorcism. Dean screams and drops to his knees, but Castiel doesn’t let go. The torture weapons clatter to the ground as Dean reaches to cover his eyes, but the light is coming from inside him as the angel burns the darkness from his soul. As the light begins to fade, Castiel raises his head at a sound only he can now hear. Demons. His squadron must not have been able to keep them all off.  
He crouches down beside the trembling soul at his side. It raises his head, uncomprehending as to what just happened. Castiel stares into those tear-filled eyes and finds he doesn’t want to let go just yet. He never understood that expression - to steel ones heart - but he understands it now. He pushes down his own wishes as he hears the demons circling their room. “Go.” He whispers, pulling Dean upwards. “GO!” He shoves the little ball of light towards the never-ending ceiling, to make its way back to earth. He should be there with him, Castiel thinks. He needs to explain what has happened, what is to come. But instead he draws his angel blade, and prepares to face the demon horde. The righteous man will have to wait.


End file.
